NFC Notes: Commanders, Cowboys, Odell Beckham Jr, Giants, Kenny Golladay

Commanders

• Commanders HC Ron Rivera on DE Chase Young: “He’s made incremental progress. …We’ll see how he progresses. We’re not going to play him unless we feel he’s absolutely ready to roll. He’s had good practices, but there are still some things he’s not comfortable doing.” (Nicki Jhabvala)
• Rivera said QB Carson Wentz is able to “lightly” throw and is eligible to return from IR next week. (Ben Standig)
• The Commanders also announced that first-round WR Jahan Dotson would be available for Week 10.

Cowboys

Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy spoke about RB Ezekiel Elliott and addressed his knee sprain ahead of the team’s Week 10 matchup with the Packers and said there is no competition between Zeke and RB Tony Pollard, who told reporters that he is still willing to do whatever the team asks of him.

“Tomorrow will be the final test for him,” McCarthy told reporters in his press conference. “I don’t look at it the way everybody wants to look at it. It’s not one against the other; it’s the benefit of having both. Obviously, Tony’s numbers speak for themselves and his style of running. But the thing about Zeke, especially in the game like we’re getting ready to play here on Sunday: there aren’t too many people who want to tackle Ezekiel Elliott, let’s be honest. I go back to the first time I saw him play in 2016 up there [in Green Bay]. He came ripping past our sideline, and I was like, ‘Holy hell…’ He’s a powerful runner. Those are things that don’t show up on a stat sheet, but Zeke brings toughness and an attitude, and you talk about a great teammate. There are so many other great qualities that he has that do not show up as rushing attempts.”

“We’re so blessed to have two outstanding running backs,” McCarthy added. “The most important thing is to get both those guys their touches, but the reality is, it gives us a chance to go attack a defense and not really worry about who’s in the game. Tony Pollard’s a man. He’s in great shape. I think Tony could be a No. 1 feature back.”

“Whatever they ask me to do, whatever they need me to do, I got it,” Pollard told Michael Gehlken of Dallas Morning News. “I definitely can do more than 30 snaps.”

• Cowboys VP Stephen Jones on WR Odell Beckham: “It’s hard not to imagine how a healthy OBJ could really help us out. He did that for the Rams last year. Multi-year deal? We’ll have to work through that. We’ll roll up our sleeves and see what that’s gonna be like.” (Jon Machota)
• Jones was also asked if the team was considering other players aside from Beckham: “We’re filling practice squad spots, looking for opportunities there. But in terms of that caliber of the player being available, he’d be the only one.” (Machota)
• Jones continued on Beckham: “To have a guy like Odell Beckham if he’s recovered from his knee, which it sounds like he has, is a great way to make your team better. So it’s natural that we would have interest in that.” (Calvin Watkins)

Giants

Giants WR Kenny Golladay doesn’t think he has anything to prove despite his lack of playing time and targets so far this season. 

“I’m really not trying to prove nothing to no coaches,” Golladay said, via Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. “Really I’m out here playing for my guys, these people in the locker room. Of course I got to show on the practice field to the coaches, but at the exact same time, I’m playing for the guys in this locker room, period.”

Golladay added that he’s ready to play and isn’t concerned about how he’s used in HC Brian Daboll’s offense. 

“I’m ready for whatever,” Golladay said. “It really don’t matter.”

• Giants HC Brian Daboll said that WR Kenny Golladay (knee) is expected to play in Sunday’s game barring any setbacks. (Jordan Raanan)